Improvement in machines foe blocking hats



@uitrit tats gtttwt @ffice WILLIAM C. GRISWOLD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORIQYAUGUSTUS PELISSE, OF NEWARK,

NEW JERSEY, AND`ALBERT II. HOOK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Letters .Patent No. 81,364, dated August 25, 1868.

viilge .Srlgehnle ruimt in in llpse rlrts itcnt mit making @ad of lluii'stme.

Be it known that we, WILLIAM C. GmswoLD, of Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, AUGUSTUS PELrssn, of Newark, Essex county, New Jersey, and ALBERT H. HOOK, of c ity and county of New York, have invented a new and luseful Machine for Blocking Hats; and do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, in whieh- I I Figure l represents a plan Viewv of the machine.

Figure 2, a vertical longitudinal section.

Figures 3 and 4, transverse section of the machine, showing the mechanism in various positions and modifications.

Figure 6 shows a vertical section ofthe machine, as arranged for stiff hats, plates 11 Z1 being curved.

Figures 7 and S are bottom views of a modified band-ring.

Figure 9, a vertical cross-section in line x :1: of fig. 7.,

Our machine is intended to block or shape hats, after the hat-bodies have been thoroughly stretched, tips as well as brims, by a previous operation, and it consists of the following parts: l

First, a table, a, to which are attached all the operating parts ofthe machine. In the centre of this table there is around hole, through which the block of the machine can ascend, the hole being somewhat larger in diameter than the largest block to be used in the machine.

Second, two annular plates, and bh The lower one, is firmly secured to the table a, and the upper one ishung on a swinging forked lever, c, having its fulcro. at e a', in two upright posts, d, attached to the top of the table a. By means of this lever the plate b can be swung up and removed out of the way, when a hat is to be placed on the machine, and when the same is swung down to a horizontal position, in which it is shown in all the figures ofthe drawings, it serves to take a firm hold of the brim ofthe hat, the felt being pinched between the two plates Zz and In this horizontal position, the lever cis held by a spring-catch, e.

Third, an expansible block, F, which is either-'capable of an ascending motion, as shown in figs. 2, 3,-and 4, or remains stationary in height, and is merely made to eipand, as shown inigs. 5. and 6. In most cases the block must be ca able of 'ex ansion,andcontraction; it must be contracted in order to lace the band-rin" P P P n over it, as will belexplained hereafter, and also to remove the hat from-it when blocked, and it must be expanded in order to block or shape the crown and side ycrown ofthe hat. This expansible block, F, consists of two side pieces, as shown in gs. 2, 3, and 4, g and g', which are hingedrto a cross-head, L, attached to the upper end of a. hollowvertical rod, z', which is capable of sliding up and down in bearings 7c, xed to the lower-side of' the table a, and of a centre wedge-piece, Z, fastened tothe upper end of a rod, m, which plays up and down through the centre of the hollow rod z, so arranged as to expand the two side parts gend g, to the full size of the required block, when the same is forced up so as to be level with the two side parts,g and y', and this wedge-piece Z is also so shaped as to fill up the vacant space between the two sidepicces gland g', when the same is elevated, as shown in fig. 4,4 and form a solid and regular hatters block, leaving no empty spaces for the felt to draw into. In adopting this plan of an expansible block, the ascending motion of the whole block is obtained by a lever, n, and :i connecting-link, n. A brace, o, plainly shown in figs. 3 and 4, serves to limit the extent ofthe motion up and down, and also to regulate thc block to the required depth of the hat, as it can be adjusted on the rod z' by means of the set-screw o'. The up-and-down motion of the wedge is obtained by a leverhy), and a connecting-link,p. An expansiblc block canalso be inode by having the centre wedge, Z, in two parts, and also capable of expanding and contraeting,-or by having cach of the side piecesg and g again divided, and wedges between the divisions, which, when elevated, shall fill up the vacant spaces.

Fourth, a band-ring, r, suspended from a forkedlever, s, by two short connecting-links, s', so as to be capable of swivelling and finding its level. This ring is made with a sharp edge at its bottoni, and can bo workedup and down, and forced below thesurfaces of the two brim-holding plates, b and L', as shoivn in fig. 4, to break the band of the hat, by overstretching the felt'in that part of the hat. This up-anddown motion is given to the said bandring r by the lever s, which is hinged to the lever c at some convenient point.l

This band-ring may be formed of a. continuous circular stripor costing, or it may be made as shown in gs. 7, 8, 9, in lmlves r r, hinged together ntu, und to a. lat supporting-ring, t, which-is suspended by the forked lever s. The object of arranging the band-ring in halves is to enable the opera'itor of the machine to open the seid band-ring, as shown in iig. 8, inonder to ploceit over the block, which is'desira-.ble when the machine is to block very deep hats;

The operation of the machine is as follows:

Levers c and s are raised, thereby removing plete b and band-ring v'. After the hat-body is previously stretched, the operator places it upon thc lower plete, Z, as nearly as possible concentricwvith the block, and

then brings down the upper brim-plate, In', :1nd the band-ring r, and by forcing down the lever e, so as to cntch in the spring-catch e, plates b and b will hold the brim of the het firmly, while the operator performs the blocking. In this position the machine is shown in figs. 2 and 3.

Now, the block is to be raised and expanded, und by means of levers p and n, and at last the band-ring i' is forced down, thereby stretching the sidccrown of the hat, and breaking the band.

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1.*An-expansib1e block, in combination with thc brim-plates b and Z1', constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as herein specified.'

2. The combination of the bandi-ring r, holding-plates l1 bf, und cxpnnsible block, substantially ns and for the purposes herein specified. i

WM. C. GRISWQLD, A. PELISSE, Witnesses; ALBERT H. HOOK.

M. M. LIVINGSTON, T. B. BEECHER. 

